The Pals Blog Hop for August 2014

Welcome to the Pals Blog Hop for August. This month we are showing off our favorite crafting tools – those Stampin’ Up! tools that we just can’t live without. We hope you enjoy our projects!

You may just be starting the Blog Hop or may have come from Martie Pollard at the Crafty Bandit, Blog #28 on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

Now, I gotta be honest. I kind of panicked a bit when I learned that the theme for this Hop was to showcase our favorite tools. I mean, talk about being overwhelmed by choices! But then I began to think about those tools I consider to be the basics of the trade, so to speak, and hands down, let’s face it, we’d be nowhere without our Stampin’ Trimmer. Am I right? I went on Google just to see what people had on their Top Ten Tools list, and of course, a paper trimmer appeared on every list. But there are trimmers and then there’s our Stampin’ Trimmer, which stands head and shoulders above the rest. First of all, there’s the fact that it’s a tad over six inches wide. Perfect! Now I can cut a piece of 12 x 12 card stock in half without having to swing out a wobbly arm. Oh, and that’s another thing – our trimmer’s arm extension swings out firmly, stays in place, and has a little foot on the underside that you can snap out to make it even more stable. And did we mention storage? How many times have you gone to replace the blades on your trimmer only to find that you can’t remember where you put them? (‘fess up, cause I know I’m not the only one)! Now I can keep my replacement blades with the Trimmer and they go everywhere my Trimmer goes.

But here’s what I want you to know: you can make pretty cards with just your Trimmer and a pack of paper. Yup, that’s about it. Okay, you need Paper Snips, too, but if you’re just starting out and you can only build your inventory of supplies slowly, then the Stampin’ Trimmer is your must-have tool.

I love clean and simple cards, and I love angles and lines, and the Trimmer is perfect for cutting AND for scoring, too. In my card samples below you will see that using just the Park Lane Designer Series paper, a few scraps of Daffodil Delight card stock, and my Trimmer, I was able to make two completely different cards in two completely different styles. The style of stamp is completely up to you, but without the Trimmer these cards wouldn’t have turned out as nicely. And the Paper Snips let me do some fussy cutting, which I love to do. So let’s give a big cheer for crisp cutting and scoring. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you: the Stampin’ Trimmer!

A simple 1/4″ border scored around the edges of the card make a simple, yet elegant, frame for the flowers and sentiment.

Just a few simple cuts with the Trimmer and you’re good to go – quick and easy, but still pretty.

Hi! Thanks so much for the in-depth explanation of why the trimmer is your favorite and why SU’s is better than most. This is the first time I’ve gone thru all the blogs and everyone said the trimmer is a fav but your the first to explain why!! Thanks!!

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The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of Amy Hoptay as an Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and the use of and content of classes, services or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!